Portabella Steaks: Just One Reason Why Veganism Rocks

Have you ever cooked something, plated it, and decided it looked downright sexy?

Call me crazy, but I think the portabella steaks from the Happy Herbivore Cookbook are one of those things. Tasty, tender mushrooms covered in a balsamic faux-beef broth with onions and spices? Yes please. It’s little wonder this recipe got my vote for what to do with this season’s first package of portabella caps.

These spiffy-looking mushrooms needed equally spiffy accompaniment, so I flipped around the cookbook a bit more before hitting on the maple-glazed vegetables. What a super-simple side dish! However, I made the mistake of trying to steam potatoes in too little vegetable broth and wound up adding too much extra liquid to compensate. The result was still deliciously maple-y, but more of a sauce than a glaze. And of course, how can you go wrong with roasted Brussels sprouts as a green veggie to round it all out?

I love, love, loved this whole meal. The flavor of the portabellas was amazing, the veggies were tender and sweet, and the Brussels sprouts tasted equally good dipped in either sauce. I have no doubt that I’ll be making portabella steaks again many times in the coming months. They would also be awesome marinated in the broth and grilled. Mmm, grilled mushrooms…

Sam has been eating a plant-based diet since summer of 2009 and has spent the subsequent years experimenting with all manner of plant-based food. She holds a Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and is a graduate of the Bauman College Nutrition Consultant Program. She is a former member of Toastmasters International and was awarded a Competent Communicator designation for public speaking. When she's not blogging or cooking, Sam likes to read and study the Bible, play silly card games and knit socks.